Where Am I?

I've posted a blog on my recent reviews at the Roses of Houston...http://rosesofhouston.blogspot.com/2009/08/reviews.html.

I also have a guest blog at Linda Laroque's Musing about writing shorts...http://lindalaroqueauthor.blogspot.com/.

Don't forget to leave comments for a chance to win one of my Release Party prizes!

And the Winner is....

Congratulations, Judy! You have won the following for commenting on one of the blogs I visited last week.

His Ship, Her Fantasy; Babies in the Bargain by Mona Risk; Going with Gravity, The Duende and the Muse, or Seventh Heaven by Cate Masters; and Passion in Paris, Seduced in Seoul, or Thai'd Up by Helen Hardt.

Please email me at EmmaLaiWrites@gmail.com with your choices!

Laurie J. Edwards on Summer Storms

Emma: Today, I am featuring an interview with author Laurie J. Edwards on her latest release in the Summer Lovin’ anthology, Summer Storms, available from The Wild Rose Press.

Blurb:

Sixteen-year-old Paige nearly drowns as she rescues a Pomeranian trapped in floodwaters that sweep through her town. Chase, the hottie who saves her, wants to help her and her mother, but Paige won’t accept charity. And can she risk him unmasking the family secret she’s kept hidden?

Welcome, Laurie!

Laurie: Hi, Emma! Thanks so much for having me.

Emma: Did you start writing stories for your children?

Laurie: Actually, I started writing because of my children. They were driving me crazy, so I started writing to save my sanity.

Emma: You’ve also published a biography on Rhianna. What kind of research did that involve?

Laurie: Whew! That took a lot of digging and persistence to get the info as well as multiple unsuccessful requests trying to get her publicist to respond to questions, but in the end, I got what I needed. Then I spent a lot of time sorting out facts from fiction. After people are famous, many "friends" claim to have insider knowledge. Some make things up for attention; others air grievances or tear down the celebrity out of jealousy. I hope I got at the truth, but it's tough to know for sure. Whenever I write nonfiction, I try to find fans and detractors to give me a balanced view. But in the end, we're all human and tend to put our own spin on things. Deciding what to include & what to leave out is always hard too.

Emma: I’m amazed at your perseverance and the number of articles you have published. I think you could inspire numerous aspiring writers. Why don’t you tell them about your road to being published.

Laurie: I was super lucky and sold the first article I sent out to Highlights. I didn't realize then that getting published was a long, hard road paved with many rejection slips. I had to slog through that (and still do sometimes) to get where I am now--a full-time writer who actually makes money and supports myself & my family. Now, more often than not, publishers contact me rather than the other way around, but most of them offer nonfiction work. That pays the bills, but I still have a dream that I can do this with my fiction writing. I guess we'll see…

As for rejections, all I can say is keep working at your craft and learning from others, continue to write, find a supportive critique group, and network like crazy. Most of the writing jobs I have now came about through my writing contacts.

Emma: I won’t keep you much longer. Do you have any works in progress you’d like to share?

Laurie: I have a YA loosely based on 1050 in Eastern Europe that's part of the Winter Hare trilogy; it's a fantasy, and I'm working on revising it. It's actually the second book in the trilogy, but I wrote it first. Now I'm going back and writing the prequel. I'd like to finish all 3 before I send any of them out, in case things happen in one that affect the other books. I'm also working on 2 adult inspirational romances: Her Weight in Gold and Angel Unawares, both are roughed out and partially written. It's just finding the time to actually DO it. I have so much writing to do (day jobs) that I don't have time to write (my own stuff)--if that makes sense. Kind of an odd excuse that writing keeps me from writing, but it's true. I have several intense deadlines this month, one for a very high profile client, so I don't have any wiggle room. Once I've met those deadlines, though, I hope to find time for the books of my heart.

Emma: Good luck! Thank you for your time, Laurie, and good luck on your future books!

Laurie: Thanks! And thanks ever so much for having me, Emma. Best of luck with the baby. I'm sure you're counting the days 'til Oct.

I'm offering an e-copy of my book Summer Lovin' to one of your readers who comments on this blog, so I'll check back on Sunday night to draw a name.

And I'd love to have readers visit me at: Laurie J. Edwards, The Wild Rose Press , The Susquehanna Writers, MySpace, Twitter (@LaurieJEdwards), and Facebook as Laurie J. Edwards.

Here's a blurb from Summer Lovin':

Paige jumped when someone touched her shoulder.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you. I wanted to see if you were okay.”

Pushing herself upright with her good arm, Paige found herself face to face with her rescuer. He looked even better now than in her vague memories. And he smelled marvelous, freshly showered, with a tangy aftershave that made her insides flip-flop. Or was that because of his devastating smile? Or the way his eyes crinkled at the corners? Or the way his… Stop it, Paige! He’s only being friendly. Say something so he doesn’t think you’re a complete idiot.

“Um, you’re the one who saved me, aren’t you?” Scintillating conversation, Paige.

Red crept up his neck and colored his cheeks. “Yeah. I’m glad we were there. Dad’s with the Coast Guard. I was helping after the bridge collapsed. I saw you hanging onto that picnic table headed for those rocks. Couldn’t get there in time to stop the crash, but I pulled you out when you went under.”

“You jumped in after me?”

His face flushed even redder. “Um, yeah.”

“But you could have been killed!”

“That’s what Dad said.” He grinned. “But I’m glad I did. Good to see you didn’t suffer any major damage.”

She lifted her cast. “A broken arm and stitches.” And losing everything she owned. Yeah, sure, no major damage.

He nodded. “Well, after you’ve pulled dead bodies out of the river, broken arms and stitches seem minor. Those will heal.”

His callous dismissal of her feelings angered her. But she also felt ashamed. Her losses didn’t compare to people who’d lost family members, but her heart hurt all the same.

He laid a hand on her sleeve, and a shiver ran through her. “I didn’t mean you hadn’t suffered. I’m sure it hurts to lose all your stuff. Not to mention having that to deal with…” He motioned toward her arm and forehead. “It’s just that—” He squeezed his eyes shut and sucked in a deep breath. “I…Never mind. It’s too awful to talk about. I’ve helped Dad before, but—” He shook his head, then opened his eyes. Traces of moisture clung to his lashes.

Instinctively, she laid a hand over his. “I’m sorry.”

He flipped his hand over and clung to hers. “Yeah, me too. I didn’t mean to dump on you.” He gave a hollow laugh. “When I was little, I used to complain about Dad being gone so much. Then he’d come home and brood. I never understood how draining his job is. Or how hard it is to go on after you’ve…” He swallowed hard. “I’d never touched a…Well, anyway, I’m glad you’re okay. I was afraid when I first pulled you out that I was too late. He gently touched just below the bandage. “You look great, by the way.”

Compared to a corpse, maybe.

He still hadn’t let go of her hand. Maybe he’d forgotten he was holding it. She must stink. Two days and her only bath had been in that cesspool of floating filth. She hadn’t gotten up enough courage to face the communal showers. And she’d been too woozy to brush her teeth this morning at the hospital. She edged away from him a bit.

His eyes filled with concern. “Did I hurt you? I didn’t mean to.”

She shook her head, which started a thumping in her brain that matched the one he’d started in her pulse.

Where Am I?

Come visit me this week at...

• Monday, August 17th with Cate Masters
• Monday, August 17th with Helen Hardt
• Tuesday, August 18th with Roses of Houston
  
• Friday, August 21st with Mona Risk

This week I'll be giving away...

His Ship, Her Fantasy; reader's choice of Going with Gravity, The Duende and the Muse, or Seventh Heaven by Cate Masters; Babies in the Bargain by Mona Risk; and reader's choice of Passion in Paris, Seduced in Seoul, or Thai'd Up by Helen Hardt.

And the Winner is...

Congratulations Debra St. John! You are the winner of this week's prize: *.pdf copies of

His Ship, Her Fantasy
Your choice of Foretaste of Forever or Touch of the Demon by Christina Phillips and
Your choice of Going with Gravity, The Duende and the Muse, or Seventh Heaven by Cate Masters

Please contact me and let me know your choices!

Saturday News

The Roses of Houston have a book signing at Boomerang Books today from 1-4. Click here for directions.

Congratulations to Afshan (Babyblue22)! You've won a copy of my latest release, His Ship, Her Fantasy for posting yesterday. Please send me an email at emmalaiwrites@gmail.com to claim your *.pdf.

Congratulations to Hywela Lyn! You've won your choice of Paty Jager's books. Please send her an email at patyjager@patyjager.com to claim your prize.

Also, congratulations to Mona Risk, Beth Trissel, and Catherine Bybee. They each won a copy of His Ship, Her Fantasy for helping me celebrate its release on Wednesday.

Don't forget to check back tomorrow to see who the winner is for this week's prize: His Ship, Her Fantasy; Foretaste of Forever or Touch of the Demon by Christina Phillips; and Going with Gravity, The Duende and the Muse, or Seventh Heaven by Cate Masters

Paty Jager on Miner in Petticoats

Emma: Today, I am featuring an interview with author Paty Jager on her latest release, Miner in Petticoats, available from The Wild Rose Press.

Blurb:

Shouldering the burdens of his family and the mining community, Ethan Halsey devotes himself to providing for the growing families of his brothers.

However, Aileen Miller, a widow, also looking out for her family’s interests, refuses to part with the land he needs. As they battle—one to push his dream to reality and the other to prove no man will hurt her again—their lives become enmeshed and their hearts collide.

Welcome, Paty! Congratulations on the recent release of the third book in your Halsey brother series.

Paty: Thanks Emma! Did you see the 5 spur review from Love Western Romances?

Emma: Ooh...congratulations! I've provided the link for readers.

I know you have four other books, the first two books in the Halsey brother series…Marshall in Petticoats and Outlaw in Petticoats and Perfectly Good Nanny and Gambling on An Angel, as well as a free read, Standoff For Love, also available from The Wild Rose Press.

Congratulations on the 2008 Eppie win for Perfectly Good Nanny, which is a contemporary western!

Do you prefer writing historical westerns or contemporary westerns? Which one do you find easier to write?

Paty: I like writing both. LOL Actually, I didn't think I could write anything but cowboys. I was lamenting no one was buying westerns while at an RWA meeting and a multi-published author said write a contemporary cowboy story. I flat out told her I can't write contemporary. Then on my three hour drive home I was listening to a radio talk show and an idea came to me. That's how Perfectly Good Nanny was born and it won an EPPIE. I found writing the contemporary harder for me because it is set in the here and now and people know so much more about the world they live in than they do history- so I worried the whole time if I was getting this accurate or that accurate, where with historicals, I do lots of research, but I know only a handful of people really know much about history so there are fewer people to point out any mistake I might have made. ;)

Emma: I completely understand the fear of inaccuracy.

I saw in your bio that you tried your hand at murder mysteries. Do you have any plans to pursue publication in that genre?

Paty: Yes. In fact I'm gathering info to try my hand at writing an Intrigue for Harlequin. And if you read my first three Halsey brother books each one has a bit of mystery in them. I can't seem to write a book without a little intrigue.

Emma: A little intrique keeps things interesting. Good luck!

In your July interview with Salt Lake City Romance Novels Examiner, you mention you’ve finished the fourth Halsey brother book, Doctor in Petticoats; a contemporary Western; a historical paranormal; and a historical romance out to editors. Have you heard back on any of these? Are they all with The Wild Rose Press? What made you try your hand at paranormal?

Paty: The contemporary western is at Harlequin, the historical western is out to various agents and editors and is the first book of hopefully an ongoing series, the paranormal historical is at The Wild Rose press, and no, I haven't heard back on any of them yet. The paranormal is set in the 1700's among the Nez Perce Indians. It's about a daughter of a chief who loves the mountain and her people and is betrothed to an enemy warrior to bring peace. But she falls in love with the spirit of the mountain who travels the mountain in wolf form. It's about sacrifice and good versus evil. It wasn't really going that far from what I normally write. It is actually the first book of a trilogy. I've had several large publishers tell me they like it but they can't sell Native American stories. So I thought since TWRP doesn't discriminate against a story because it doesn’t fit the mold, I'd give them a try.

Emma: I'm banging my head against the wall trying to remember which publisher was specifically looking for Native American stories, but TWRP is great about accepting atypical stories!

I won’t keep you much longer. Do you have any other works in progress that you’d like to share?

Paty: I'm working on a combined book with TWRP author Lauri Robinson. It's a book about two sisters who are separated when their parents are killed by Indians on a raid on their wagon train and how they search to find one another. Then I'm working on a Christmas Novella, the Intrigue I talked about earlier, then the fifth Halsey brother book and the next book in the paranormal trilogy. As you can see, I'm never at a loss for something to work on. LOL

Emma: LOL! I was just telling my husband there wasn't enough time for all the stories in my head!

Thank you for your time, Paty, and good luck on your future books!

Paty: Thank you for having me Emma! I'll give one commenter a signed book of their choice- so leave a comment and get entered to win!

Emma: Fabulous freebies!

Emma Lai on His Ship, Her Fantasy

Today I am featuring an interview with myself, author of His Ship, Her Fantasy, available TODAY from The Wild Rose Press!

Blurb:

Ellie Woods is in love…with a ship. When an argument with the ship results in a bump on the head, she finds herself in the strong arms of Alastair. But, who is he, and where did he come from?

Alastair has loved Ellie from afar for years, but duty has kept him from revealing himself to her. When a grave threat reveals his true identity, he hopes that Ellie will choose reality over fantasy.

His Ship, Her Fantasy is Book 1 of the Mates of the Guardians series, which includes His Hope, Her Salvation, available Wednesday 16 December, His Heart, Her Desire, which I will offer as a free read after the next release, and His Light, Her Shadow and His Dream, Her Nightmare, both of which are works in progress.

Who are The Guardians?

The series features three types of Guardians: Shields, Hunters, and Stewards. Each has a specific job. Shields protect people; Hunters seek out targets; and Stewards assist Hunters. The Ruling Council assigns the Guardians their tasks.

The Mates of the Guardians are short stories. Do I prefer writing shorts or full length books?

I like both. Shorts are fun and challenging. It's not easy telling a complete story in only a few thousand words. However, full length books allow for more world building, which is its own challenge.

What other works do I have in progress?

I am currently working on edits for an erotic Regency, Twice is Not Enough. I also have a contemporary romance near completion as well as the first book of a young adult fantasy series in progress.

However, I continually dream up new ideas for stories and have started work on numerous sci-fi/fantasy projects.

Don't forget to leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of His Ship, Her Fantasy today!